to the whole herd.” Dad patted Faith on the back and then made his way toward the house, leaving the cleanup for the younger generation. They’d done it. All 700 reindeer in one long day.
Caleb watched Dad lumber along.
Faith came to stand beside him. “I really like him.”
Caleb glanced down to see her watching Dad too. “What’s not to like?” He shook his head. “I forget how old he’s getting. And then on days like today it hits me between the eyes. He used to outwork us all, but now he has a thing in his back.” He waved his hand. “Sorry, you don’t want to hear our problems.” He motioned for them to head to the barn, and they started off. It wasn’t a long walk, but it felt good to work out his tight muscles.
Faith twisted her lips. “Honestly, it’s good to know you have problems.”
“You’re happy we have problems—that’s not very Christian of you,” he lightly scolded.
“No. That’s not at all what I meant.” She swatted his arm. “You all seem so perfect that I’d believe nothing bad ever happens here.”
“You do realize the whole reason you’re here is to prevent something very bad from happening.” He pushed open the barn door and shoved his head inside, looking up to make sure no one had gotten out of their stalls. The coast was clear, so he shoved the door the rest of the way and stepped back so Faith could go in first.
“I know. I know.” She stepped past him, and he caught a whiff of cinnamon and chocolate. The chocolate was probably from the four cups of cocoa she’d drunk to stay warm, but the cinnamon? That was all her, and he wanted to know if it was a lotion or maybe a shampoo. He’d love to run his fingers through her hair and find out. He shook his head at himself. Where were all these romantic notions coming from, anyway? He wasn’t the type of guy to go all soft for a woman—he never had been before, and he didn’t plan to be now.
There was just something about Faith that got to his sensitive side. He leaned against Dunder’s stall as she gave him a checkup. Her earlier apprehension about being close to the reindeer was gone. Dunder was one of their largest, if not the largest reindeers on the ranch, and his ever-present antlers were intimidating. Faith didn’t seem to notice. She walked in with one hand out, which she used to touch Dunder’s neck and then move up to scratch behind his ears. He leaned into her touch.
“I think he likes you.”
“Of course he likes me.” She ran both hands down Dunder’s neck and then gave him a light hug. “We’ve bonded—right, handsome?”
Dunder winked in response, making her laugh.
That sound! Caleb’s hand went to his chest to stop his heart from leaping out. If he could combine the sounds of church bells ringing on Christmas Eve, with the bubbling of a brook, and the giggle of a child on Santa’s lap—he might come close to Faith’s laughter. Nothing was quite like the effect it had on him. He was all upside down and sideways because of it.
While he was trying to get his head on straight, Faith tested Dunder’s temperature and looked in his ears and eyes. The animal stayed still for her exam. When she was done, he nudged her pocket. “What is that?” she asked Caleb.
“He’s looking for a treat. Doc would bring him a carrot or an apple when he checked him over.”
She rolled her eyes. “Sorry. I don’t have anything.”
“I got you.” Caleb hurried into the tack room and came back with an oat bar.
“What is this?” She eyed it like it was a rogue doggie treat.
“Oat bar,” he replied. “Mom makes them with organic ingredients. They have dried apples and oats. The reindeer like them.” He nodded for her to give it to Dunder.
She put the treat on her flat hand and moved it under Dunder’s snout. He sniffed and then used his lips to pick up the bar, so he didn’t bite her. Faith gave him a goodbye hug and made her way out of the stall. “He’s looking really good.”
“Do you think he’ll be a hundred percent by Christmas Eve?” Caleb hadn’t checked in with the Kringles. They had their solid eight reindeer for the big sled, but Dunder was second string. He might be getting on in years, but he still had some flight left